Warbonnet

The Book

Go back to the Sawtooths page.

Words

South Face
Shirley sitting on the summit ridge just below the summit horn (in background, Sept. 2003).

Over the 3 day Labor Day Weekend in 2003, Shirley & I made our first trip to the Sawtooths of Idaho. I think the initial catalyst for this plan was the purchase of Alan Kearny’s Northwest Select book. I recall that we left Blondie at home as apparently Warbonnet was (is?) in some special subdivision of the Sawtooth Wilderness where canines are not allowed. On day 1 we took the shuttle boat across Red Fish Lake and made the hike to our “base camp” by Bead Lakes near the base of Warbonnet. Despite some off-trail bits, the travel was easy. On day 2, we climbed the South Face (5.7) route. I recall the lower portions being nothing special but the upper third was fun (nice handcrack) and the final pitch really is THE reason to climb Warbonnet. The descent was probably the most exciting part of the day starting with a long, free-hanging rap off of the summit ridge followed by some fuck ups on our part & a nasty loose gully scramble back up to the saddle and the correct side of the approach gully. We hiked out on day 3 totally in love with the area.

Photos

Elephants Perch
Saddleback Peak/Elephants Perch as seen from near Alpine Lake (center); point 9870 is to the left and is the actual highpoint of Saddleback Peak (from southwest, Labor Day 2003).
Warbonnet Peak
Shirley arriving at Alpine Lake on our way up to Warbonnet (Sept. 2003).
Warbonnet Peak
Baron Lakes as seen from the pass below Point 9769 (Sept. 2003).
Warbonnet Peak
Shirley approaching the Bead Lakes below the towering Warbonnet Peak (leftmost horn). Labor Day 2003.
Warbonnet Peak
Warbonnet Peak from above Bead Lakes.
Warbonnet Peak
One of the early views of Warbonnet Peak on the approach to Bead Lakes...one of the horns in the background (Labor Day 2003).
Warbonnet Peak
Warbonnet Peak from half way up the approach gully to the Warbonnet - Cirque Lake Peak Col (Labor Day 2003).
Warbonnet Peak
The south face of Warbonnet Peak as seen from the apporach gully (Labor Day 2003).
South Face
Shirley atop pitch one of the South Face route on Warbonnet (Labor Day 2003).
South Face
Shirley finishing pitch two of the South Face route (the traverse pitch). The "center" chimney of pitch three (mentioned by T. Lopez' guidebook as well as the route shown on the topo in the enclosed link) is directly above her. The nasty chimney we took is to the left and out of the picture (Labor Day 2003).
Warbonnet Peak
Looking back toward Bead Lakes and our camp from low on South Face of Warbonnet (Sept. 2003).
South Face
Shirley topping out on pitch 3 of South Face (Sept. 2003).
South Face
Shirley at the belay station atop pitch three of the South Face route. In the background are Bead Lakes. Our camp is on the right shore of the right Bead Lake (Labor Day 2003).
South Face
Leading the short pitch four of the South Face Route. The nasty looking offwidth in a dihedral looms above. The beautiful 5.7 handcrack of pitch five starts just above my position (Labor Day 2003).
South Face
Beginning the lead of pitch five of South Face Route. A beautiful 5.7 handcrack - technically the best pitch of the route (Labor Day 2003).
South Face
Leading the great 5.7 hand crack on pitch five of the South Face Route. The crack reaches the top of the ridge where you turn right and follow the runout ridge all the way to the belay notch for pitch six (Labor Day 2003).

South Face
Final (easy) terrain of pitch five of the South Face Route. This is past the 5.7 hand crack and past the easy ridge walk. Top of this pitch is the belay "notch" for pitch six (Labor Day 2003).

Warbonnet
Shirley topping out on pitch 5 of the Southeast Face route on Warbonnet (Sept. 2003).

South Face
Leading the summit pitch of Warbonnet just above the crux friction move. Though at that time I thought the crux was just coming up and was busily working on placing a good piece or two before committing (Labor Day 2003).

Warbonnet
Looking back towards Shirley belaying me on the sixth and final pitch (Sept. 2003).

South Face
Leading summit pitch of Warbonnet. Note the fixed piton at my chest level (manky). The exposure is amazing - the summit horn I'm on is overhanging on both sides and terminates at a small pointy summit with a 1200 foot vertical drop to the valley below (Labor Day 2003).

Warbonnet
Looking back at Shirley from the lead of the summit ridge pitch on Warbonnet.

South Face
Above all difficulties on the summit ridge of Warbonnet (Sept. 2003).

Warbonnet
Shirley following the summit ridge pitch on Warbonnet.

Warbonnet
Shirley following the final pitch (the summit horn pitch) on Warbonnet (Sept. 2003).

South Face
Shirley traversing the summit horn of Warbonnet. The picture does not convey the level of exposure - the drop off beyond the summit horn is on the order of 1200 uninterrupted feet to the valley floor (Labor Day 2003).

South Face
Shirley about to do a hand stand on the summit of Warbonnet (Sept. 2003).
South Face
Shirley sitting on the summit ridge just below the summit horn (in background, Sept. 2003).
South Face
Yours truly shocked to find an empty summit log container 20 feet below the summit. Another summit log (sealed and with pencil/paper) was found 30 feet lower (Labor Day 2003).
South Face
The wild first rappel off the summit ridge of Warbonnet...very cool (Labor Day 2003).
Warbonnet Peak
Shirley relaxing at the col after our climb (& screwed up descent) of Warbonnet (Labor Day 2003).
Warbonnet Peak
Daddy sitting at the col after our climb of the South Face route...and sporting my single piece polypro suit that was all the rage in the fall of '03.
Bead Lakes
Lower of the two Bead Lakes and Packrat (left) and Mayan Temple Peaks in the background. Photo taken from the approach gully to the Warbonnet - Cirque Lake Col (Labor Day 2003).
Packrat Peak And The Mayan Temple
Packrat Peak (left) and The Mayan Temple reflecting in Lower Bead Lake (Labor Day 2003).
Packrat Peak And Mayan Temple
Shirley hiking out above Feather Lakes after our climb of Warbonnet. In the background, The Mayan Temple is on the right; Packrat Peak is on the left (Labor Day 2003).
Warbonnet Peak
Shirley hiking out beneath the north side of Point 9769 with Baron Lakes in the background (Labor Day 2003).
Warbonnet Peak
Shirley descending toward Alpine Lake on our hike out following the climb of Warbonnet Peak (Labor Day 2003).
Mount Heyburn
Mount Heyburn (far right; summit out of the picture) and the wake turbulence of the boat shuttle on Redfish Lake. One last look at the beautiful Sawtooths (Labor Day 2003).

Go back to the Sawtooths page.